¹ tn The word “this” is used to translate the Greek article τῆς (ths), bringing out its demonstrative force.

² tn The word “aloud” has been supplied to indicate that in the original historical setting reading would usually refer to reading out loud in public rather than silently to oneself.

³ tn The words “blessed are” are repeated from the beginning of this verse for stylistic reasons and for clarity.

⁴ tn Grk “keep.” L&N 36.19 has “to continue to obey orders or commandments – ‘to obey, to keep commandments, obedience.’”

⁵ sn The time refers to the time when the things prophesied would happen.

⁶ tn Grk “and faith.” Here and before the following term καί (kai) has not been translated because English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the next to last and last terms in a list.

⁷ tn Or “perseverance.”

⁸ tn The phrase “In fact” is supplied in the translation to bring out the ascensive quality of the clause. It would also be possible to supply here an understood repetition of the phrase “I know” from the beginning of the verse (so NRSV). Grk “and your last deeds [that are] greater than the first.”

⁹ tn Grk “onto a bed,” in this context an idiom for severe illness (L&N 23.152).

¹⁰ tn Or “into great distress.” The suffering here is not specified as physical or emotional, and could involve persecution.

¹¹ tn The words “all of whom” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to indicate the resumption of the phrase “the voice of many angels” at the beginning of the verse.

¹² tn Grk “saying.”

¹³ tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”

¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

¹⁵ tn Or “powerful”; Grk “a great.”

¹⁶ tn Or “like hairy sackcloth” (L&N 8.13).

¹⁷ tn Grk “like blood,” understanding αἷμα (aima) as a blood-red color rather than actual blood (L&N 8.64).

¹⁸ sn An allusion to Isa 25:8.

¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

²⁰ tn Grk “fell upon.”

²¹ tn Grk “saying.”

²² tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”

²³ tn The aorist verb ἐβασίλευσας (ebasileusa") has been translated ingressively.

²⁴ tn Grk “and it was given to him to go to war.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²⁵ tc Many mss omit the phrase “it was given to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (Ì⁴⁷ A C 2053 Ï^A sa). It is, however, found in Ì^115vid א 051 1006 (1611) 1841 (1854) 2329 2344 2351 (Ï^K) lat sy^ph,(h) bo. Although the ms evidence is somewhat in favor of the shorter reading, the support of ̹¹⁵ (a recently-discovered ms) for the longer reading balances things out. Normally, the shorter reading should be given preference. However, in an instance in which homoioteleuton could play a role, caution must be exercised. In this passage, accidental omission is quite likely. That this could have happened seems apparent from the two occurrences of the identical phrase “and it was given to him” (καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ, kai edoqh autw) in v. 7. The scribe’s eye skipped over the first καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ and went to the second, hence creating an accidental omission of eleven words.

²⁶ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

²⁷ tn Grk “and people,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

²⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the remarks that follow.

²⁹ tn Or “righteous,” although the context favors justice as the theme.

³⁰ tn Or “because you have judged these things.” The pronoun ταῦτα (tauta) is neuter gender.

³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

³² tn Grk “the altar saying.”

³³ tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”

³⁴ tn The Greek term may be translated either “pay” or “pay back” and has something of a double meaning here. However, because of the mention of “wages” (“reward,” another wordplay with two meanings) in the previous clause, the translation “pay” for ἀποδοῦναι (apodounai) was used here.

³⁵ tn On the term φάρμακοι (farmakoi) see L&N 53.101.

³⁶ tn Or “lying,” “deceit.”